The Beginning
by ProDLnEC aka NLcsimiamifanatic
Summary: Single dad and new CSI Eric Delko and his adorable daughter, Nevaeh meet Calleigh. Apologies for the delay in updating WRITER'S BLOCK!
1. The Beginning Chp 1

_**The Beginning**_

_ Note: This Neaveh is the one from "Fatherhood," "Trust" and "Saturday Mornings with his Girl."_

_Eric tells his child all about his first day at his new job, gets surprise visit from the boss and Nevaeh gets to meet Daddy's co-workers._

Eric was excited and relieved to have received a full grant to pay his police academy and forensics education. Otherwise, accepted or not, he couldn't attend. There was no way he could afford a student load. Recruits received a small wage that was based their expenses. The meagre check covered his grocery bill, diapers not included. The young man felt horribly guilty that his family members, despite their own expenses covered his rent and diapers for Nevaeh for three months.

And vehemently refused to be repaid. It wasn't as if Eric was being lazy and refusing to pay his own way through life. He didn't have to pay for childcare, because his family believed he shouldn't have to. Also he was one the few recruits who applied for and was granted permission to spend the nights away from the barracks, as long as he was on the 5:00a.m. morning march, _every_ time. Single dad, or not, no exceptions. If he was late, even once, this privilege would be revoked. Eric could at least spend the nights with his daughter. Getting to spend only a few hours a week with Nevaeh on family visits would have been unbearable. Nevaeh spent nights in daddy's bed during that period. After a story, she would snuggle into daddy and fall asleep. It bothered both daddy and daughter that Nevaeh was seldom awake when Eric had to leave the apartment at 3:45a.m.. Chlorinda would lay down with the baby girl then. Eric tried to console himself with the fact life wouldn't be like this forever.

Today was the start of new, improved life for Eric and Nevaeh.

Eric Delko was now a Crime Scene Investigator. Yes, the job would often have unpredictable hours but it was better than it had been the past few months. There no more police academy. No more only seeing each other only when Nevaeh were sleeping or getting a bedtime story.

His first day on Horatio Caine's forensic team was everything he thought it would be. Horatio was a great boss. He held authority but was quite respectful of his subordinates. He appeared genuinely glad to have Eric join the team.

"You did a good job today, Eric," he said when he met Eric in the locker room near the end of the day. He then asked about Nevaeh seeing her photo on the inside of Eric's locker door. "She's beautiful," Horatio said.

Eric smiled. "For sure."

Nevaeh was running, not walking now. And for her age, she had a big vocabulary in both English and Spanish. Eric couldn't wait to get home to her and tell her all about his day and new job, even if she didn't understand any of it.

Nevaeh's favorite stuffed toy was a brown and white bunny. It was at her side constantly since Eric had given it to her on her first Easter. It was a good thing Paloma had given her the same one by accident. If "bunny" was ever permanently lost, Eric would have a problem. The baby wouldn't sleep without it. Daddy kept the replacement on the top shelf in the closet "in case of emergency." Eric thought if plush toys could get headaches, "bunny" had a constant one. Nevaeh always dragged it around by its ears.

The girl squealed and ran to him when he came through the door. Eric scooped her up.

_"Hello beautiful! _Daddy missed you today!"

Nevaeh babbled, smiling and burying her face in Eric's shoulder.

"She missed you, too," Chlorinda said, walking to the porch and giving her son a hug.

"How was your day, hijo?"

"Excellent. Can't wait to tell my princesa all about it."

Chlorinda made a face.

"Don't tell her anything too gory."

Eric laughed. "_Oh mom! _She's a bright kid but I doubt she understands any level of scientific terminology."

As of right now and for a while Eric would be working strictly in the lab, he would have to pass a series of on-the-job evaluations to be allowed to be "in the field" a.k.a. an active crime scene.

She may not have understood all of what he said when Eric was giving Nevaeh her bath a short time later and showed him her _Mater_ bath toy.

"No mo?" She said.

Eric had always showed her the toy and told her it was like a truck he drove at work.

"That's right. No more tow truck. Papi's gonna have to buy you a gray hummer."

Whether or not she understood and was asking him a question or just showing him the bath toy, it was cute and Eric laughed.

Nevaeh started to yawn when Eric massaged her with lotion before he put on her _Party At My Crib. 3 a.m._ onesie. It was a warm night and the baby would only get too warm in footie pajamas.Papi knew his little girl wasn't quite ready for sleep yet but massage had always relaxed Nevaeh. He had started doing the day he met her in the hospital. Baby massage had been part of the newborn care course. It had been mentioned during that class that it helped in parent-child bonding. Again they were right, Eric thought.

"Daddy loves his new job," Eric said to his daughter, sitting down with her in the recliner. "He gets to help people in a different way. Remember that nice man, Horatio? He works there, too. Maybe I'll take you in there some time."


	2. The Beginning Chp 2

_**A Surprise Visitor **_

There was a knock on the door just as Eric was going to take Nevaeh to bed.

"Who could that be coming to visit us?" Eric said to Nevaeh, carrying her on his hip, her bunny in tow by the ears. "Let's go see."

Opening the door, he was surprised to see Horatio Caine.

"Detective Caine. What are you doing here?"

Eric's wallet had fallen from his jacket as he was exiting the Crime Lab locker room without him realizing it.

"You dropped this. I think you might need it," Horatio said, handing him his wallet.

"Oh geez. I didn't realize that. Thanks a lot."

Nevaeh gave Horatio a big smile. Her two bottom teeth showing and drool running down her chin.

"No problem," Horatio couldn't help but smile back at the baby. She was beyond adorable. "She's certainly growing."

Nevaeh then leaned forward towards Horatio. His shades had caught her eye and she wanted them.

"No," Eric said to her. "They're not yours, baby."

"That's okay. She's just curious. Aren't you, sweetie?"

Eric asked Horatio if he wanted to come in for a few minutes. It was clear that Nevaeh and Horatio wanted to see each other.

"That's all right. I'm sure you're busy-"

"We're not."

Nevaeh again leaned forward, this time daddy couldn't stop her and her chubby hand grabbed his black blazer.

Horatio laughed.

"I guess I'll come in."

The moment Eric sat Neaveh down on the carpet, she immediately walked over to where Horatio was sitting in the armchair. She definitely wanted to "inspect" this visitor. He seemed nice.

"Hello there, sweetheart," Horatio said, touching Nevaeh's hair. "You're such a pretty girl."

The last time Horatio had seen Nevaeh she were nine months old. She had changed a lot even in that short time. Nevaeh started to try to climb onto Horatio's lap.

"May I?" Horatio asked, before picking Nevaeh up.

"That's what she wants. Be my guest."

The two men talked for a while about Eric's first day. Horatio told Eric he was genuinely glad he decided to become a cop and CSI. He had a natural ability that it would be a shame to waste. Again he told Eric he was impressed by his work.

Eric almost blushed. It felt good to get such a compliment from someone like Horatio Caine.

"By the way," Horatio said when he was leaving. "I insist you call me Horatio, or H. Drop the 'Detective Caine.'"

Eric smiled. "Okay."

Horatio turned to Nevaeh, smiled and touched her small hand.

"I hope see you again soon, too," he said to her. "You gotta bring this lil' one in sometime. I'm sure everyone would love to meet the main lady in your life," he told Eric.


	3. The Beginning Chp 3

_**Introductions**_

There had been no doubt in Horatio Caine's mind that Eric Delko was a very proud dad. The young man smiled and his face lit up at the mention of his daughter. Nevaeh was visibly a very secure child, despite the fact she didn't know her mother. Two weeks later Eric's mother brought Nevaeh to the lab at the end Eric's shift.

"_Papi!"_ The little girl shrieked when she saw her father. All her six teeth, two on the top and four on the top could be seen.

Nevaeh wiggled to get out of her abuela's arms. Chlorinda sat the girl down and she ran to her father. Eric introduced his mother before she left, he and Nevaeh would go home together in a short while. The little girl with short, curly black pigtails who wore denim shorts, purple strap baby-doll top with a large butterfly on the front and white sneakers immediately attracted much attention. Calleigh Duquesne hadn't met her new co-worker's child before though she had heard a _lot_ about her. Nevaeh was certainly appropriately named. She was a living doll—and she looked just like her doting daddy. The ballistics expert was too busy introduce herself.

"Eric's daughter is the cutest!" DNA analyst Maxine Valera said to Calleigh, entering the ballistics lab.

"I saw her. She's adorable," Calleigh smiled.

The next time Nevaeh came in and the blonde was definitely going to take the moment to say hello. Maxine continued to talk, saying she wondered how any mother could not want her baby. But the best thing Nevaeh's mother did was leave her with a dad like Eric. Calleigh agreed. It was hard to imagine a tough guy changing diapers and baby baths.

The image was a sexy one, nevertheless. Calleigh could just imagine how he was with the little girl at home.

Not being a typical bachelor, the first thing Eric purchased with his new paycheck could called a boring one; a regular washer and dryer. It made the porch of their small apartment cramped , taking up the entire porch closet but it were a necessity he could finally afford. And with the way Nevaeh went through clothing as she "explored" life it came in use quick. He didn't stop her in her journeys, unless it was dangerous. It was how children learned. Clothes were just material that could be replaced; but it helpful now that much more could be washed at once.

Ballistics expert Calleigh Duquesne made her introduction to Eric and his daughter a week later in the parking lot of the crime lab when both were leaving. Again Chlorinda was bringing his daughter to him. The older woman was pulling out of the lot as Calleigh went up to Eric and Nevaeh.

"Hey," she said.

"Oh hey, Calleigh," Eric smiled, butterflies filled his stomach every time they were in the same space when the business of the job wasn't there as a distraction.

Like right now.

"I seem to be the only one who hasn't been formally introduced to this cutie," Calleigh smiled.

Eric chuckled.

"This is Nevaeh. Can you say 'hi' to Calleigh, baby?"

Nevaeh smiled and gave a tiny wave.

"Hello Nevaeh," Calleigh said, shaking the girl's small hand. "You certainly take after your papi."

She couldn't help but notice how sweet-smelling, soft and smooth the child's skin was.

On the whim, a shot of courage hit Eric, despite the fact that the one other time they met before when he towed a car to the lab and Calleigh told she would never socialize with or date anyone she worked with when he joked about asking for her number combined with the fact that co-workers dating was frowned upon, Eric told Calleigh he and Nevaeh were going for ice cream and invited her along. He figured an ice cream date with his daughter along would be less threatening.

Okay, it wasn't_ planned_. And it was going to spoil his child's dinner but Nevaeh would survive an evening with a late meal. Eric knew that she would enjoy the ice cream appetizer.


	4. The Beginning Chp 4

_**Falling Down The Rabbit Hole—of Love **_

Hearing her answer of "yes" to the date, had shocked Calleigh in spite of herself. She remembered what she had said to Eric in the garage that day. But all her resistance was gone out the window. She was drawn to the adorable pair and wanted to get to know them better. As she followed them in her car to the ice cream parlor and diner which was apparently close to the house where the duo lived in the basement apartment. Thanks to co-worker Tim Speedle, aka "Speed" she didn't understand it but she knew the situation with Nevaeh's mother. But most men wouldn't step up for their children and relied on their extended family to rear the child. His mother and no doubt, the rest of his family was _very_ close to Nevaeh but Eric was indeed her primary caregiver and the person she trusted the most in the world. Calleigh shook her head when she thought she'd _love_ to be the little girl's mom.

_You're going way too fast! _She scolded herself.

Just a week following their first family date Eric asked her if she wanted to "come over" after work, Calleigh offered to bring over take-out from a popular deli. When she entered the Delkos' apartment Calleigh got a cozy feel to it despite its small size. It felt like a _home_, not just a space. That was something else that surprised Calleigh because most single men she knew, dads or not, didn't put this much effort into their living space. She wondered how else Eric was going to surprise her.

After just seven days, she felt she was already falling down the rabbit hole—of love—with _both_ Eric and Nevaeh. When Nevaeh appeared to remember her, running to Calleigh with a big smile and giving her a big kiss and hug when she saw her, the blonde's heart melted. This was something she get used to.

"Hello sweet-pea," she said to the child.

Nevaeh babbled and snuggled into Calleigh's shoulder After eating their sandwiches and milkshakes the trio sat down and watched , dressed only in a white undershirt. sprawled herself across Calleigh's lap.

"You're a lucky man," Calleigh said to Eric, rubbing the little girl's back.

Eric smiled. "I am."

The baby girl falling asleep across Calleigh's lap, turned over and looked at her. She smiled.

"Yes, sweetie. I'm talkin' 'bout you," Calleigh smiled.

When she realizing Calleigh, or "Cawwy" as she pronounced her during the visit was getting ready to leave, she cried and reached out to her. It melted Calleigh's heart.

"Aww, sweetie. You're all right. I'll see you again soon."

Nevaeh's tears didn't last long.

"You like that lady, don't you? I do, too."

Nevaeh pointed toward the door that Calleigh had just closed.

"Mami?" She said. "Mami!"

Eric's face paled, his daughter's words startled him so much.

Where was his daughter getting that word? The only time she ever heard it was at his parents' home when he and sisters spoke to their mother and when his nephews spoke to his sister. Nevaeh was too young to connect Calleigh's warmth to a mother.

Wasn't she?

Calleigh heard the Nevaeh's voice from behind the door she had just closed. Her heart stopped and her breath caught in her throat. Did she hear what she thought she did? Even if she did, Nevaeh was just a baby and babies babbled. This _had_ to be only that, right?

* * *

It hadn't taken Eric long at all to calm Nevaeh and make her happy again. By morning, the tyke seemed to have forgotten all about the previous night. Both Eric and Calleigh had the day off because the next day they had to pull a twelve hour shift. During his daughter's nap, Eric called Calleigh the following afternoon and asked her to come over. He had something to talk to her about.

When she got there, Calleigh immediately asked if this conversation was going to be about what Nevaeh said yesterday night.

"Y-you heard that?" Eric asked, feeling and sounding shocked.

"Yeah."

"Listen, Calleigh. I really do like you _a lot_. I do," Eric replied. "But I also know dating someone with a child is a lot to deal with. Even with or especially Neveah's mother not involved. If you don't want to continue this, this, whatever it is, that's fine. I'll be fine, I swear. And Nevaeh will be, too."

Calleigh leaned forward on the sofa and touched Eric's cheek.

"Eric, I know dating someone with a child is a lot. I can handle it. I _promise_. I want to get know _both_ of you much better. And as far as Nevaeh deciding to call me "mami"—I'm fluent in Spanish, by the way, so I know what that words means, and it's an _honor_," she said, her eyes brimming with tears. Both acknowledged that they didn't know where the relationship was going to lead but they felt that _somehow_ the Delkos were meant to meet Calleigh, and she was meant to meet them. And regardless of how their own relationship turned out, Calleigh would continue to play an important role in Nevaeh's life.

In the days ahead Eric heard a million times from his family members how "careful" he had to be with Nevaeh becoming attached to Calleigh. Even if Calleigh was a wonderful person.

_ Well, duh!_ Eric thought about being "careful."

But doing that didn't mean Eric had to be single forever. And anyone who was going to be with him was going to a mother figure in his child's life. Eric hadn't told anyone about what Nevaeh had said that night. He could imagine what a can of worms that would unleash because he and Calleigh had only been dating a could understand his family's feelings because of their love for his daughter but whether or not his family understood, he had to take this leap of faith.


	5. The Beginning Chp 5

_**A House vs. A Home**_

_Note: Ryan Wolfe is another team member in this story._

Her condo might have been roomier and fancier but compared to the basement apartment where her boyfriend, yes, boyfriend, lived with his daughter it wasn't a home. It didn't have that warmth and welcoming feel. Maybe that warmth was partly bought on by the laughter of a child. Eric agreed that his apartment had a "homey" feel, even if it was a rental. He told Calleigh his goal in the future was to move to a bigger place. The more intimate goal was to start a life with her. It was clear that Calleigh had Nevaeh's approval in spades. Tammy Lewis was missing out on an amazing experience when she skipped out on motherhood, or simply _knowing_ her daughter. She knew just her name, allegedly and scoffed when she heard it.

_When the hospital social worker bought the papers for Tammy to sign, giving sole custody and parental rights to Eric, she told Tammy she knew she didn't want to see or hold the newborn, she had made that perfectly clear. But did she want to know what the baby's father named her?_

_ "Not that I give a shit but I am a bit curious as to what __**senor**__ Delko called the little rat," Tammy replied._

_ "Her name is Nevaeh Esparenza. She's a very beautiful baby."_

_ Tammy snorted. _

_ "Sounds like a dog's name. Kinda fitting though since I heard she's brown like him and the rest of his family."_

_ When he heard about this, Eric knew his daughter wouldn't be meeting Tammy till she was eighteen and old enough to decide for herself. He wasn't going to set her up to be hurt._

_ "_You lookin' for another place?" Tim Speedle asked his friend in the locker room. Tim had seen Eric looking at listings earlier while on his break.

"Looking for more space," Eric replied.

Living with Calleigh wasn't happening yet. But it decided by Eric that his apartment was too small for the three of them anyway. Calleigh had said she didn't mind the size of the place. She found it "cozy." unlike her condo. She also liked the neighborhood where Eric lived and the fact that it was near his family who often looked after Nevaeh. Eric wasn't looking to go too far from his current residence. He had made a second appointment with the lady who was looking to sell her five-bedroom, three bathroom split-level home, complete with furnished basement. The extra distance would add fifteen minutes to his current commute to drop off Nevaeh to his parents' home in the morning but the trade-off was worth it. He already viewed the home once, bringing along his brother-in-law who was a certified home inspector. He was suspicious of the drastically reduced price. Paloma's husband, Elliot hadn't found anything wrong with the home that the woman might be trying to hide with the low price. She told Eric she would normally find such a price suspicious as well. But she explained that the house had been on the market for a long time and she was now just anxious to "unload" it so she reunite permanently with her husband in Alaska.

Eric was happy to pay the penalty for breaking his lease and move two weeks later. The previous owner was even happier by this. To ease any anxiety Nevaeh might have when they moved, the baby's room was going to be set the exact same as it was in their current residence, down to the color it was painted. During the move and paint job for her room that took over a day, Nevaeh stayed at her grandparents' house. Happily, after seeing her new identical bedroom, Nevaeh seemed to forget their old apartment, thoroughly enjoying all the space she had to run around. The extra bedrooms, the one downstairs where the large den was and the two upstairs gave the duo room to have company over, namely Nevaeh's partners-in-crime, Sasha and Mateo.

Calleigh, too, liked Eric's new home. She smiled at the fact that unlike some new homeowners who fussed over their home before the novelty wore off and let the house be "lived in," immediately Eric didn't care what Nevaeh's toys being all around the living room.

"This is a _home_. Not a showcase house. Plus, it's just the way it was before," he said.

All of the team, Horatio, Tim, Walter, Natalia, Ryan and of course, Calleigh had helped Eric move. As a housewarming gift they had chipped in and bought the family a pull-out sofa bed. Eric planned to place that in one of the upstairs' guestrooms for his nephews when they slept over. Eric had shopped at discount stores and browsed classifieds and found gently used furniture for the den. The separately purchased armchair–which Nevaeh had claimed as "her" chair, didn't match the sectional but that was okay. He also found a futon for the second spare room. Tim teased Eric that that must be where he slept when Calleigh stayed over. The house still needed other furniture like dressers for the spare rooms and a desk and office chair for the empty downstairs room which Eric planned to make a home office. But none of this was urgent. Additionally, the previous owner hadn't wanted to take her kitchen appliances to Alaska and left them with the house giving Eric and his child everything they needed for the moment.

Nevaeh grinned and nodded when Eric asked her if she liked their new home.

"I bet you do," Eric said, tickling her on sofa while they watch tv in the living room after dinner. "Daddy likes it, too."

Owning his home was great but something else was big for Eric. For the first time in his life he had his own private bathroom.

An odd thrill.

There was a half bath attached to the master bedroom. There was a full-bath upstairs and an half bath on the bottom floor. This house was a biggest place he had ever lived in but he chuckled, thinking three bathrooms would have eased morning line-ups when he was growing up. The biggest advantage he had being the only boy among three girls in the three bedroom home, was he had his own room, when the three girls had to share.

* * *

Calleigh could have seen herself living with the Delkos in their previous residence. The tiny, cozy basement apartment. She had her fingers crossed the three would live together here in the new house soon. Regardless of how long she and Eric had been dating, the two were definitely, absolutely in love. The following week was going to be their four month "anniversary." part of Calleigh thought that if Eric asked her to marry him tomorrow, she'd say "yes." And as far as a fancy wedding went, she didn't need or want one. Eric and her, with Nevaeh in tow, could take the short trip to city hall.

"You'd _seriously_ give up your condo for here?" Eric asked her as they lay in bed after making love on their anniversary.

"Yeah, I would," she said. "My building isn't kid-friendly, either. From what I've seen the neighborhood itself doesn't really like children. I've heard 'em making complaints 'bout "noise" when kids who live there, were just out playin' and laughing on the small playground, or what they call that. It's crazy."

"That's bad," Eric said.

"Their parents usually fight back and say it's just what kids do and to get over it. The board usually rolls their eyes and ignores the complaints, believing the same."

"You can call here, home, any time you want, you know," Eric said, kissing Calleigh's brow. "I'd be thrilled and I know someone else across the hall who would agree with me."

This was something the blonde was going to take into serious consideration.


	6. The Beginning Chp6

_**Stares and We don't Cares**_

While co-workers dating, living together or being married was completely frowned on by the internal affairs board Eric and Calleigh were not the only ones doing so. If a couple were able to keep things professional, at all times, no matter what was going on at home, most personnel didn't see the issue. Many cops' relationships and marriages didn't last because of the job. But at the same time this was also what made other ones do the opposite. Being in the same line of work gave more understanding to what each other went through. After being together six months to the day, Calleigh moved in with Eric and Nevaeh. Despite her grandparents believing and saying the eighteen-month-old girl couldn't understand the occasion, everyone else disagreed. Nevaeh knew "Cawwy" was coming to her house and _staying_. Though not constantly, she was calling her father's girlfriend "mami" more often in the past month. Eric had warned anyone not to correct her. Calleigh was beyond "comfortable" with the title and loved Nevaeh as her own daughter. Treating her as such. She planned to make this official if she and Eric ever married.

This was more like _when_ for Eric.

He would propose to Calleigh tomorrow if he didn't think that this would spook his lover and cause her to run for the hills. He didn't know how eager Calleigh were to marry him—and that she wouldn't tell him for the same reason.

It could have been the novelty but taking care of a baby while having to get ready for work in the morning put a smile on Calleigh's face. Nevaeh was still reeling from the excitement of Calleigh moving in with her and daddy. She was more hyper than normal.

So were the couple, they just expressed it differently.

In bed.

"Is Nevaeh any calmer, yet?" Alexx asked Eric as he entered the morgue, three days after Calleigh moved.

Eric laughed.

"I think she's getting there. I think it's sinking in for her that Calleigh's not going anywhere. She's after telling her that enough for three days."

"A zillion times, probably," Alexx smiled.

"Yeah," Eric said, "all I know is that I haven't done any diapers or baths for three days."

"So you've disappeared in the lil' one's eyes," Alexx laughed. "I bet everything's 'mami, mami, mami!' And you haven't heard "papi" for seventy-two hours."

"Not necessarily. I still get morning and goodnight kisses and bedtime stories. But other than that I'm invisible, yeah."

Some of Calleigh's living room furniture made the move. Eric's old set had seen it's day, the used sectional he had bought for the den looked new in comparison. Now there was a tv and dvd player downstairs, too. From Calleigh's place. Two dressers and a wardrobe also made it upstairs to the spare rooms. The futon moved downstairs to join the desk in what was now an office. The double bed Calleigh had taken was moved into that room. Calleigh was pleased to have contributed some furnishings to the house outside of her personal belongings, photos, trinkets—and her beloved gun safe.

* * *

"Your folks still hung up on what baby girl should call Calleigh?"

Eric nodded. That was becoming a hot button issue with his family members. Nine times out of ten since Calleigh's move Nevaeh was calling her "mami" and the baby seemed to get upset she was corrected, which was mostly by her grandparents and her aunt Paloma. Her aunt Rachel choose to stay out of the matter, figuring Eric knew how best to handle ths situation. He was her dad after all. Her parents seemed to forget that detail. Whatever Nevaeh wanted to call Calleigh at any given moment, whether it was "Cawwy" or "mami" it was up to her. Nobody else.

Eric told the M.E. that a few times while the family was over dinner the prior night. Nothing had come out but there had been a number of times that one of his parents or Paloma's mouth had opened to correct Nevaeh when she addressed Calleigh as "mami."

"I know they're only trying to protect her after Tammy and all. But they don't know what I do or see the connection I see."

"Don't they trust _you_ and your judgement? They have to know that you would want Nevaeh to be hurt, either."

"Maybe you could talk some sense into 'em," Eric sighed with a smile. "Well, enough of that. What do we have?"

* * *

Calleigh arrived home late, at ten o'clock. Eric was still going to be a while. Probably not getting home till after midnight. When neither had finished their shift by six, Paloma had bought Nevaeh home, got her settled and put her to bed. Nevaeh was tired and cried for both her parents but fell asleep in mere moments. Calleigh apologized to Eric's sister for the late hour.

"No worries," Paloma replied.

"How was she today?" Calleigh asked about Nevaeh. "No trouble?"

Paloma laughed. "She's mini-version of Eric. What else can I say?"

Eric pulled in his driveway just before one a.m.. He hadn't seen his daughter in over twelve hours. Then having to see a teenage girl on the autopsy table with her neck broken and her throat slit down to the bone by her boyfriend when she tried to break up wth him, didn't improve his state of mind. It was one of those days so far in his short law enforcement career when he wished he'd stuck to driving a tow truck. Maybe the pay sucked but the hours were predictable and he wouldn't have to see children in the morgue. His girlfriend knew his feelings as she kissed him at the door. She'd been the one to extract an angry confession and attempted justification from the eighteen-year-old suspect who was charged with second-degree murder.

Ironically the boyfriend had turned eighteen three days before. If he had committed the same crime just seventy-two hours ago, he probably would be charged as a juvenile, receiving much less time. Now he was facing twenty years in "big boy" jail, as Detective Frank Tripp said. The right punishment as far as Calleigh and Eric were concerned. How the girl's parents were coping with this horrible event the couple couldn't imagine. They didn't make a habit of putting their daughter in bed with them. Tonight was an exception. One family in Miami no longer had their daughter to cherish and spoil, they were keeping their little girl in their sights–and arms tonight.


End file.
